Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. (Charles Mingus)

21 May 2008

Good Meijer, Bad Meijer.

On the way home yesterday, we stopped by Meijer to get 2 24 packs of Coke for $6.88 (because I snagged awesome peelies last week). While driving down the aisle to find a parking spot, my eye was drawn to something on the ground. I made a very confused Be get out of the car and investigate, and I was right! On the ground, a $20 bill and two $1 bills!! Yay! Thank you, universe.

Then, during our weekly trip to our home town, we stopped by the new Meijer there. I am currently obsessed with stockpiling dirt cheap pop because I can't get out of buying it anyway (might as well be cheap), so I was going to pop in to grab another two 24 packs for $6.88. The Coke vendor (the guy that stocks cases and whatever else) was standing in front of the display when we came around the corner. I noticed immediately that the sale there was 2 for $9, not 2 for $8.88 (slightly annoying, but not world ending), and made a comment about it to my brother (who was with me). The Coke man immediately included himself in our conversation and informed me that no where was it ever at the price I said it was (2/$8.88). I politely said it was indeed, as I had seen it earlier that morning 45 minutes from that Meijer. Now, I know sometimes the different Meijers have different prices. Not a huge deal. On any other day, in any other circumstance, I probably would have just gone with it. Then I heard the horribly rude Coke Man again.

"It is only 12 cents." (include eye rolling and disgusting tone of voice)

Excuse me?!

If it's not a huge deal, how about your discount your prices 12c? Or, how about when I get to the register and am 12c short of paying my full grocery tab, how about Meijer just writes it off since it is only 12 cents. What about 13 cents? A quarter? A dollar?

I'm sorry, dear Coke Man, but 12 cents is 12 cents to me. I'm the girl that picks up money on the ground, even if it's only a penny. I am the girl that compares per ounce prices in the middle of the grocery aisle. I stop sometimes on the drive home and snatch up cans that can be returned for deposit that others have carelessly discarded on the side of the road. Most importantly, it's MY 12 cents, and I will do with it what I please.

Any other day, I would have swallowed hard and bought them anyway. I was ok with parting with an extra 12 cents for each one. It really wasn't that big a deal. Yesterday, however, I promptly pushed my empty cart to the front of the store. I was not giving money to those not grateful for my business. I don't deserve to be treated poorly because I don't like unnecessarily giving away my money (no matter how much it was). If Coke Man had kept his idiot mouth shut, his company would have made another $9 that day. Call me crazy, but I refuse to do business with rude people. No, thank you.

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One girl, on a mission to be responsibly frugal and happy about it.

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On Gratitude ...

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. (Melody Beattie)

On Simplicity ...

I have come to terms with the future. From this day onward I will walk easy on the earth. Plant trees. Kill no living things. Live in harmony with all creatures. I will restore the earth where I am. Use no more of its resources than I need. And listen, listen to what it is telling me. (M.J. Slim Hooey)

If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need. (Cicero)

On Frugality ...

Frugality is one of the most beautiful and joyful words in the English language, and yet one that we are culturally cut off from understanding and enjoying. The consumption society has made us feel that happiness lies in having things, and has failed to teach us the happiness of not having things. (Elise Boulding)

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Places I Dig ...

So, friends, every day do something that won't compute. Love the L-rd. Love the world. Work for nothing. Take all that you have and be poor. Love someone who does not deserve it. Denounce the government and embrace the flag. Hope to live in that free republic for which it stands. (Wendell Berry)